Brownback blasts visit of former Iranian leader

Sam Brownback[(FrontPageMag.com commentary) Sins of Omission, Sins of Commission:][1] The U.S. visit of former Iranian president, mullah Mohammad Khatami, has all the makings of a full-blown scandal except for one: it lacks the righteous indignation of the chattering classes. ... Republican Senators George Allen, Sam Brownback, and Rick Santorum have sent letters to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, protesting her decision to allow Khatami to make a propaganda tour of the United States.[(NewsMax.com commentary) Torture Victims Blast Khatami Visit:][2] Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., introduced legislation Thursday that would refocus U.S. government-funded broadcasting into Iran to "stand with the people of Iran."The Iranian regime's record of "repression, oppression, beatings and abuse ... was "a story that has been told too little," Brownback told reporters and Iranian-American activists. His "Iran Human Rights Act" would also appoint a "special envoy" to pro-democracy groups in Iran and in exile. "While we are focusing on [Iran's] nuclear weapons development, as we should, we cannot deny the human suffering of the Iranian people," Brownback said. "This story needs to be told." As a backdrop to the new Brownback bill, former Iranian political prisoners and their relatives gave grisly testimony Thursday of torture under the regime of former president Mohammad Khatami, who is currently visiting the United States. [(Agape Press) Commentary & News Briefs:][3] U.S. Senate Republicans are renewing their efforts to force the Democrats to vote on some of President George W. Bush's judicial nominees. Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Arlen Specter is challenging Democrats who have blocked many of Bush's nominees by bringing these judicial candidates up for another vote today. Kansas Republican Sam Brownback is looking forward to the confrontation. "These are good nominees that have been put forward by the president, that have had hearings held on them, and it's time that they move on forward," he asserts. "And it would be my hope," Brownback adds, "that the Democrats wouldn't again just block them." The Democrats' blockade has successfully thwarted some of the president's nominees for as long as four years, the Kansas conservative notes; so the Democrats cannot chide the Senate for taking no action, he points out, when they themselves are standing in the way of progress.Pat Roberts[(AP) US Senate to issue report on prewar intelligence on Iraq:][4] A Senate analysis of intelligence-gathering activities leading up to the invasion of Iraq will be released Friday and is certain to rekindle a debate, just months ahead of congressional elections, on the justification of going to war. The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Jay Rockefeller, said the report will confirm that "the Bush administration's case for war in Iraq was fundamentally misleading." The report to be released by the committee Friday focuses on two much-studied issues: the influence of the anti-Saddam exile group Iraqi National Congress in shaping U.S. intelligence estimates, and a comparison of prewar estimates and postwar findings about Iraq's weapons programs and links to terrorism. ,,, "We continue our work on the remaining part of our Phase II inquiry," said Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, a Republican.Jerry Moran[(Wichita Eagle) Moran to visit railroad site to see tax credits at work:][5] Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, is planning a visit to a Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad project in Hutchinson during the Kansas State Fair to get a first-hand look at the rehabilitation work made possible by a federal shortline railroad tax credit that he supported. The Wichita-based KO has undertaken an $8 million track rehabilitation project to improve train speed and reliability on the line between Wichita and Hutchinson. About 20 percent of the annual Kansas wheat harvest moves over that line to terminal markets.Todd Tiahrt [(Wichita Eagle) Federal grant could help pay for officers in schools:][6] The Wichita school district will receive a federal grant that could help keep police officers in middle and high schools. The grant, secured by Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, would give the district $246,807 -- almost double what it is currently paying the city for the school resource officers. The school district and the city have been negotiating over how much schools should pay to keep the officers inschools.Horse-slaughtering bill[(AP) How Kansans Voted on Horse Issue:][7] The Kansas delegation split along party lines in a U.S. House vote to end the slaughter of horses for meat in the United States. The House passed the measure on a 263-to-146 roll call vote. Democratic Congressman Dennis Moore voted for the bill, while Republicans Jerry Moran, Jim Ryun and Todd Tiahrt voted against it. Supporters of the practice say a U.S. ban would likely send horses abroad for slaughter. Unlike other countries, U.S. law requires that horses and other livestock be unable to feel pain before they are killed.Find 2006 campaign news at "Campaign Briefing."How to contact As always, you can find information to contact members of the Kansas congressional delegation [here.][8] [1]: http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=24300 [2]: http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/9/7/194826.shtml?s=sr/ [3]: http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/9/72006h.asp [4]: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/09/08/america/NA_GEN_US_Iraq_Report.php [5]: http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/business/15465245.htm [6]: http://www.yahoo.com/ [7]: http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/3869912.html [8]: http://ljworld.com/extra/where_to_write.html#fed